Introduction
It's no secret that the job market is competitive. You need to stand out from the crowd in order to get noticed and nab an interview. But what if you're struggling with where to start? What should you do? The answer lies in your side hustle!
A side hustle, or "hustle" for short, is any project or venture you take on outside of your day job (or night job) that provides supplemental income. It could be something as simple as making candles at home; it could also be a full-time business like running a bakery.
Hustling is the act of making money outside of your 9-5 job or business. Side hustles are usually small ventures that provide supplemental income, but they can also turn into full-time gigs
Either way, there are many ways for software developers to make money outside of their 9-5 work environment--and these four types may just pique your interest!
1) Freelancing
If you have any special skills or expertise, you may be able to turn them into an independent career by freelancing on sites like Upwork and Fiverr. In fact, this may be the perfect opportunity to utilize your coding skills! There are many people who need websites and apps developed, who also need graphics for logos or other marketing materials.
2) Teaching
Whether it's tutoring kids, coaching athletes, educating adults about finance, or just being a mentor for someone who needs support--the possibilities for teaching are endless! You could even teach people how to code or work with virtual assistants to grow their businesses.
If you're an expert in a particular field, people may want to pay you for your advice! Or, they might hire someone else to do it but they still want to use your expertise so they ask for referrals. It's a win-win.
3) Consulting
Similar to freelancing, but with a longer-term consulting contract. This could involve providing expertise on everything from marketing to technology to human resources.
This side hustle may be perfect for you if you have a knack for planning and developing strategies, but the idea of being stuck in an office all day doesn't appeal to you. Consulting can work around your schedule so it doesn't feel like another job! It just might be a good fit for you.
4) Creative Ventures
If you're creative and have a knack for arts and crafts, you could sell your products on sites like Etsy or at craft fairs. You also have the option of selling wholesale to other retailers--or even opening up your own brick-and-mortar store! It's not unheard of for software developers to make money with creative ventures.
Not sure where to start? You can learn the basics by taking online courses, attending workshops, or even reading books about whatever your craft is. But whether you're writing a book or making candles at home, it's always best to put in the effort and do something. Here are a couple of websites you could look at
Let's look at each of the side hustle in detail
Freelancing
I've been freelancing for about a year so far. I have written scripts for web scraping, data manipulation, testing, automation, etc. For all my tasks I have used Python.
One of the best things about being a freelancer is that you're in charge of your own schedule. You'll never have someone looking over your shoulder telling you what to do or when you should be working. Freelancing means there are no set hours--you work on your project when you want to work on it, as long as it gets done!
Freelancing isn't as easy as it seems, though. There's a lot that needs to go into freelancing--you need to learn how to write a proposal, what your ideal rate is, and how to market yourself.
I wrote more about freelancing as a programmer on Upwork and talked about my earnings in the following article
https://www.realpythonproject.com/how-to-start-freelancing-as-a-programmer-on-upwork/
What I didn't expect was the amount of rejection I would face during my first few months of freelancing...
No one wants to hire you for projects either because they think you're too expensive or not experienced enough. So it takes time to build up a reputation and get people coming back asking for your services again and again!
So don't get discouraged if you're not finding any gigs in the beginning. Keep trying, keep pushing, and eventually, people will recognize your name!
Here are a few freelancing jobs that software developers can do:
- Web scraping: Web scraping is the process of extracting data from websites. This can be done manually or with the help of a tool. A lot of companies require access to data available online but it might be tedious to do it manually. This is where you come in.
- Data collection: Data collection involves extracting data from various sources and organizing it into a spreadsheet or database.
- Web/app development: Developing websites or apps is a great way to use your coding skills. You can also offer consultation services to clients who need help getting their projects off the ground.
- Testing: Testing is an important part of the software development process. As a tester, you can find and report bugs, test new features, and provide feedback on products.
The best way to get started with freelancing is to start building a portfolio of your work. This can include coding samples, illustrations, or logos that you have created. You can also join online communities or forums where you can find freelance work. Finally, make sure to market yourself effectively and be prepared to negotiate rates with clients.
Some Platforms to find Freelance work
Teaching
Teaching is a great way for Software Developers to earn a little extra money on the side. You can teach anyone from your own house or through the internet using an app or website. One of the best ways to find teaching jobs is through online communities and forums where people are looking for mentors. You can also create marketing materials like logos, illustrations, and coding samples as your portfolio.
There are many options when it comes to teaching, such as teaching one-on-one, through Skype, or on software websites like Code Mentor. Some say that teaching an adult is more difficult than children but there's no challenge that can't be overcome!
I never thought I would be teaching anyone stuff related to software development--and especially anyone older than myself. But here I am with a paid online student already and blogs on WordPress, Medium, and Dev. to with more than 20k monthly views.
There are many ways for software developers to teach coding. One way is to create tutorials on YouTube. You can also create tutorials on sites like Udemywhich is a video-based platform. You can make videos illustrating your favorite coding languages or use them for subjects experienced with.
Another way to teach coding is by writing articles about programming. This can help people learn more about coding, and you can also share your knowledge and expertise with others. Another great way to teach coding is 1-on-1 teaching. You can work with students one-on-one and help them learn how to code. Finally, you can also tutor university students in coding. This can be a great way to help students learn more about coding, and you can also help your mentorship skills.
Starting out with teaching can be hard. To help you get started, here are some tips for teaching coding to others:
- Create a website where you're hosting your tutorials.
- Publish content on your won blog and cross-post on sites like Medium and Dev.to for beginners to learn how to code. This will promote your site and you might even make some money in the process!
- Make videos for the articles you wrote about and post them on Youtube.
- Write articles about coding skills that you have gained through experience or research. Sharing knowledge with others is one of the best ways to learn!
Initially, your content might not get a lot of views or interaction but don't give up. The hardest part of the journey is to begin the journey. Once you have an online presence, you will notice people are approaching you to teach them.
Some Platforms to find Mentoring Opportunities
Consulting
Consulting for software developers can be a lucrative way to make money. In many cases, you can charge by the hour or even by the project. This gives you the flexibility to work on your own schedule and to choose the projects that you want to work on. It can also be a great way to get experience and to learn new things. The downside is that it can be hard to get enough projects to make a living, and you might feel overqualified for the ones that do come your way.
Personally, I do not have any experience with consulting since most consulting tasks will require you to be a domain expert or have a good amount of experience in a specific niche. This is where most of the challenges will come in since you would be expected to deliver great results. It may take practice, trial, and error with some failed projects before you can successfully complete a project on time and on budget.
If you're interested in starting a consulting side hustle as a software developer, then there are a few things you can do to get started. The first is to create a website or blog where you can showcase your work. This will help potential clients learn more about you and what you can offer. You can also write articles about your experience and expertise in coding. This can help you build credibility and attract potential clients. Another great way to get started is to join online communities or forums where people post projects that need to be completed. This can give you an idea of the types of projects that are available and what clients are looking for. It can also help you find potential clients who might need your services.
Finally, you can join freelancing platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Guru. This is where you will find the most opportunities because more people are looking for work on these sites. However, you'll also have to compete with other developers who are trying to get your spot in the market so it's important to stand out.
Another way for you to find work is to create projects of your own. This gives clients the opportunity to see what you can do so they can determine if they want to hire you or not. You don't have to offer your services right away, but having a portfolio with finished projects is one of the best ways to get noticed.
Creative Ventures
Your side hustle doesn't have to involve software development at all. If you are good at vector art, graphic design, or illustrating, consider selling your services. If you're talented with Adobe Photoshop, you can create custom covers for people's self-published novels. If you're good at website design with Wix or Squarespace, create a portfolio site that shows off your skills to potential employers or customers. You can also start selling cool stickers or posters targeted towards developers. These could include programming jokes and stuff like that.
There are also many online services that can help find paid gigs for artists such as the ones listed in the Freelancers section of this article. Personally, I tried selling stuff on Etsy and it didn't work out well for me. However, I did not put in much effort and gave up after a few days.
Managing a company's social media accounts can also be a great way to earn some extra money. You could help create or manage social media campaigns, develop or design graphics, or even help write posts! If you already have a huge following on websites like Tiktok, that's a huge plus for you.
Conclusion
I hope you found some value in this article. It doesn't matter which side hustle or platform you chose, just choose one and be patient and consistent. Let me know your experience with other side hustles. If you want some tips to get started as a software developer in 2022, check out my article below
https://www.realpythonproject.com/some-tips-to-get-hired-as-a-software-developer-in-2022/
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